Nearly 30 people have taken out petitions to run for mayor in a city that lost more than a quarter of its people in the past two decades and has struggled with crime for generations.

This year’s race is sure to center around the issue of public safety, after decreased tax revenue and state aid led Walling last year to lay off 100 city employees, mostly police officers. At the same time, the city’s violent crime rate is on the rise.

Buchanan made it a central issue in his kickoff speech to an audience of supporters that included many Flint ministers, business owners and other key figures in the black community.

Buchanan was city administrator under former Mayor Don Williamson and served as 1st Ward councilman and City Council president before that. He’s also a former city ombudsman.

“I love Flint. I want to do everything I can to bring this city back,” he said Tuesday. “I won’t rest until the criminal element is out of our neighborhoods.”

Buchanan ran for mayor after Williamson resigned in 2009 but narrowly lost in the primary election. Soon after, he also tried unsuccessfully to recapture his 1st Ward council seat.

Walling said the city’s crime problems are not unique to his administration, and he’ll continue to make public safety his No. 1 priority.

“The city of Flint has wrestled with high crime for many decades,” he said. “Anyone who promises a quick fix for public safety is being misleading.”

Walling said he’ll officially announce his re-election campaign in coming weeks. As for Buchanan entering the race, Walling had one comment:

“I beat Darryl Buchanan once, and I intend to beat him soundly again,” he said.

Bill Ballenger, editor of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter, said Buchanan is potentially a formidable opponent for Walling. Buchanan is a black candidate in a city that has a black majority, he said, and Buchanan came close to facing Walling in the 2009 election.

“If there is unhappiness with Walling’s performance and if there is unity in the black community behind a single African-American candidate ... certainly (Walling) could be in trouble,” he said.

But if Buchanan doesn’t measure up as a candidate or if the black vote is split among candidates, Walling could have the edge as an incumbent.

“We’ll have to see what develops,” he said. “There’s a long way to go yet.”

Candidates have until May 10 to submit their petition signatures to the city clerk’s office, which will review the signatures and certify the petitions by May 24.

Buchanan submitted his signatures in March.

Other candidates who’ve returned their petitions include Flint school board member David Davenport, resident Don Pfeiffer and business owners Jung Ho Kim and Scott Smith. Pfeiffer could not be reached for comment.

Davenport, who previously has run for mayor and the City Council, said he first would focus on reducing crime before trying to increase economic development or work on beautifying the city.

“I would let (businesses) know Flint is a safe city, a clean city and a respectable city,” he said. “The bottom line is to run out all the crooked politics.”

A Flint native, Smith said he’s lived in the Genesee County area all his life but recently moved back to the city in January because he wanted to help make a difference. He owns Burton-based Emerald Lawn and Landscaping, as well as 40 other commercial and residential properties in and around Flint, he said.

He said he wants to reduce spending to boost the police force.

“I’m tired of seeing politics as usual, and I don’t want another four years like the last eight or 10 years,” he said. “There are so many people that are trapped, whether they’re retired people on fixed incomes or kids. I think we, or someone, owes it to them to make it a safe place to live.”

Kim, who owns KMS Beauty Supply on Welch Boulevard in Flint, said he’s lived in the city for 16 years and that it’s steadily gotten worse.

“I’m not a politician, I’m a businessman, and I’m going to approach everything dignified,” he said, adding that he would make public safety a priority. “I want our kids to play outside without worrying about their safety.”